Wolfgang Gottberg

Wolfgang Gottberg (played by Leos Stransky) was a sniper who was stationed at Neuville in the film, Saving Private Ryan, during World War Two. His sniping post was in a tower looking down one of the streets. According to Private Jackson, his post was 450 yards away, maybe a shade less, from where they were at the end of the road which caused him to remark that the sniper had talent to shoot someone so accurately from that far away (although Jackson managed the same as well). He served as a minor antagonist on the film, Saving Private Ryan.

A few days after D-day, he noticed some American soldiers trying to help some French citizens. He took aim and shot Private Carparzo right through the chest after waiting for the child to be removed from his grip. This caused the other Americans to take cover. Unbeknownst to him, Jackson snuck around and took aim behind some rubble as they couldn't help Caparzo without risk of being shot by the German sniper. Medic Wade still tried to help him regardless but was pulled back by Sergeant Hill for his own safety.

The German scanned the area in his scope to see where the other Americans had hidden. By the time his sight found Jackson, it was already too late. Jackson fired, shooting the German through his own scope and into his right eye, killing him instantly. Even though he died, Jackson took too long to kill him leaving Caparzo stranded for too long resulting in him dying of his chest wound.

Because of Caparzo's death Miller felt his point that they can't take children with them proven as he said, "That's why we can't take children".

Its interesting to note that the way in which Gottberg died is scientifically impossible. Due to how a bullet gradually drops as the distance increases, Jackson's shot from 450 yards could not enter the scope and go straight in to the eye, it would have hit the scope or the head, not both.

His name was not mentioned within the film, being shown only in the credits after the film.